15 Engaging facts about Daniel Christian

Australian all-rounder Daniel Trevor Christian is famous as the man who has travelled across 3 states in the Australian domestic circuit. He has played for South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. A hard-hitting all-rounder, who can hit the long ball and also bowl with guile at the death overs, Daniel Christian has represented Australia in ODIs and T20s. Prominently known as a T20 player, he had his opportunity to make it to the Test cricket too.

1. Early Life:

He was born on 4 May 1983 in Sydney. He grew up in the town of Narrandera in the Riverina region of New South Wales and is of indigenous ancestry – Wiradjuri. He lived in Narrandera until he completed Primary School and then he moved to Sydney.

2. Education:

After his primary education, he moved to Sydney where he studied at the St. Gregory’s College in the Campbell Town.

3. First-class career: Joining the Australian Cricket Academy:

He started his cricket career in 2003 when he joined the Australian Cricket Academy. He made his List A debut against South Australia and played for New South Wales in 2006. The same year, he made his T20 debut for New South Wales. It took him two years to make his First Class debut. He made his First-Class debut for South Australia.

4. A man of three states:

Christian started at New South Wales in 2006-07, After he was not offered a new contract for the 2007-08 season, he moved to South Australia in the 2008-09 season and then shifted to Victoria ahead of the 2013-14 season.

5. Captaining the Indigenous Australian team:

In the year 2009, Dan Christian led the Indigenous Australian team that toured India. It was his performances for this team against the clubs in England that brought Christian to the fore for the selections.

6. T20I debut:

In 2010, he made his T20 International debut against the West Indies and was a member of Australia’s squad for the 2010 ICC World Twenty20. He bagged 2/29 with the ball on his debut. He was also a part of the 2014 World T20 Australian side.

7. ODI debut:

Two years later, in 2012, he made his ODI debut against India at Melbourne in the Commonwealth Bank Series. He scored an unbeaten 17 with the bat and then picked up his solitary wicket of Suresh Raina in the match.

8. Playing against Australia A:

Dan signed up for Gloucestershire for Friends Life T20 in 2013. He also played a first-class match against the Australia A side for the Gloucs.

9. ODI hat-trick and maiden 5-wicket haul:

In the same series when Australia took on Sri Lanka in the 12^th match, he took figures of 5/31 which included a hat-trick at the MCG. He dismissed Thisara Perera as he was caught by Mike Hussey. On the next two deliveries, he trapped Sachithra Senanayake and Nuwan Kulasekara to dismiss them lbw and completed his hat-trick. He ended up with figures of 5/31 in the match. Despite his impressive figures, Australia were unable to win the match.

10. Leading run-scorer for South Australia:

In the 2010-11 season of the Ryobi Cup, he emerged as the top scorer for South Australia and second top wicket-taker. He also captained the South Australian Redbacks that season. He was also a part of the Hampshire side that won the 2010 Twenty20 Cup

11. An almost Test debut:

He came within inches of a Test debut after being picked in the squad for the 2011 Boxing Day Test against India. He failed to make the final XI.

12. IPL Career:

Christian was purchased for 900,000 USD in the IPL auctions by Deccan Chargers for the 2011 season. Later, in 2013, he was bought by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for 100,000 USD.

13. Herculean effort for Middlesex:

During the Natwest T20 blast in 2014, he represented the Middlesex side. Playing against Kent, he plundered 129 off just 58 balls with 12 fours and 10 sixes. His effort took his side to 192. The second-highest score in the innings was just 14! He accounted for 67.18 percent of his team’s total. His effort went in vain though as he ended up on the losing side. Christian’s knock was the second highest innings in English T20 by a player on the losing team.

14. Hits a massive six on the rooftop at Gabba:

During the 2015 season of the BBL, Dan hit one of the biggest sixes ever hit in world cricket. Playing for the Hobart Hurricanes against the Brisbane Heat, he hit Luke Feldman over long on for a monstrous six. The monster six was measured at 117 metres and curator Kevin Mitchell Jr, who has been working at the Gabba for over 30 years, told The Courier-Mail it was the biggest hit he had seen at the ground.

15. Major Teams:

Daniel Christian has been a globe-trotter and represented various teams in his career so far. The teams that he has represented are Australia, Brisbane Heat, Deccan Chargers, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Hobart Hurricanes, Middlesex, Middlesex 2nd XI, New South Wales, Royal Challengers Bangalore, South Australia, Victoria.